Husband and wife chef/sommelier team open Bubbledogs

Published: 06 September, 2012

London's newest niche venue, hot dog and Champagne restaurant Bubbledogs, has opened with the aim of providing guests with a new "experience".

Owned by husband and wife team, former Ledbury soux chef James Knappett, and Sandia Chang, ex sommelier at Roganic, Bubbledogs will offer a menu of 10 hot dogs served on traditional steamed buns, starting at £6.

A "concise" list of lesser-known grower Champagnes and sparkling wines will be available by both the glass and bottle. Plus there will be a changing list of five cocktails that will feature updated versions of classics, alongside a selection of US and British craft beers by the bottle.

Asked where the idea for the concept originated, co-owner Sandia Chang said: "During my time at Per Se in New York, we were encouraged to provide guests with an experience to create memories. We were taught to expand our minds and provide guests with something they'd never experience before, and that applied equally to the food and wine matching. That said, no matter how much we play with ideas, there must remain a logic behind it all and above all it must taste good."

She added: "My experiences at Per Se led me to think about just how well pork products, especially charcuterie, go with sparkling wines. That led, in turn, to the combination of hot dogs and Champagne: greasy, spicy, salty meatiness with an ice-cold glass of refreshing bubbles. Hot dogs with beer (also with bubbles), Champagne with caviar (also salty and oily), Prosecco and cava (bubbles) with cured meats (salty, fatty and sometimes spicy meatiness), equals Champagne and hot dogs."

Included in the restaurant will be Knappett's Kitchen Table, which opened on September 18, and aims to showcase his European cooking and innovative use of ingredients, which bears the hallmarks of his previous time spent at Noma and Per Se. He will host intimate lunches and dinners for up to 19 guests. The wine list will consist of 100 to 150 bins, comprising primarily lesser-known fine wines and small producers.